Southland Conference celebrates McNeese State win over Michigan with Connor Stalions troll
After McNeese State handed Michigan an 87-76 loss on Friday night, the Southland Conference poured salt in the Wolverines’ wounds. Following the contest, the Southland Conference posted the final score on X, formerly known as Twitter, along with a not-so-nice message: “Not even Connor Stalions could save you.”
Ouch. The loss is Michigan’s second in a row, previously losing to Florida 106-101 in double overtime on Jan. 19. The Wolverines are 1-2 since Juwan Howard returned to his head coaching position.
Michigan didn’t need any extra pain after the loss. The group’s performance was a punishment by itself. The Wolverines shot less than 40% from the field while committing 15 turnovers. For reference, McNeese committed a mere four turnovers in the win.
In fairness, McNeese State is no slouch. With their win over Michigan, the Cowboys are 11-2 this season. The team is ranked No. 77 in the KenPom Rankings. For comparison, Michigan is ranked No. 61.
Michigan will have to wait a week to strike back at its naysayers. On Jan. 4, the Wolverines will hit the hardwood to face Minnesota and kickoff conference play. They’ll have no shortage of material to motivate them during their downtime between games.
Juwan Howard’s journey back to health
Obviously, McNeese State isn’t taking it easy on Howard despite his circumstances. The 50-year-old head coach underwent a heart procedure in September, when doctors successfully resected an aortic aneurysm and repaired Howard’s aortic valve. After Michigan’s win over Eastern Michigan, Howard opened up on his road to recovery.
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“It’s truly a blessing,” Howard said. “I have to thank God first, also giving a big, big shout-out to University of Michigan Medical, my doctors, Dr. Patel and his crew, the nurses … there have been so many beautiful nurses that have worked with me during my recovery.
“I’d also like to thank my wife [Jenine] — that’s the best nurse I have. And I didn’t know that she went to medical school, but she was with me from the first day, all day. Having my wife with me … such a beautiful moment having her support.”
Assistant coach Phil Martelli served as the program’s interim head coach during Howard’s absence. While under Martelli, Michigan went 5-5 overall (1-1 in the Big Ten) following a 3-0 start. Howard will aim to place the Wolverines back on the fast track to success.
Howard boasts an 80-48 record while serving as the Michigan head coach. The 2020-21 campaign was his best yet. The team finished with a 23-5 record and reached the Elite Eight.